Hamizrach Restaurant: The Food Tells a Story

As Jewish people we know that food does more than just
sustain us. It is integral to how we celebrate our holidays and come together
with our families. Food tells a story, and in the case of Hamizrach Glatt
Kosher Restaurant & Banquet Hall, it is a very interesting story indeed.

Roman Yakobov and his family are Jews of Bukharian (Central
Asian) descent. He grew up in Israel and emigrated to Canada with his family as
a youngster. His parents opened the “Anton Restaurant” in the Bathurst and
Steeles neighbourhood of North Toronto and Roman started a successful trucking
company. He was living the “Canadian Dream.” But he felt that something was
missing.

Rabbi Yacov Malayev was born in Russia into a non practicing Jewish
family that made aliya to Israel when
he was 11 years old. Rabbi Malayev went to a state run religious school and
gravitated towards Judaism. He ended up studying at Yeshivat Shaarei Zion in
B’nai Brak, eventually obtaining semicha
– rabbinic certification. Feeling a need to give back to Jews of Bukharian
origin, Rabbi Malayevmoved to Toronto where he headed up the nascentJewish
Bukharian Community of Toronto (JBCT).

When he arrived in 2003, Rabbi Malayev
relates, Jewish knowledge amongst those in the Bukharian Jewish
community was not strong. Amongst the members of his community none of them
kept kosher or observed Shabbat. So Rabbi Malayev embarked on an ambitious
education campaign, including Shabbatonim
(weekend retreats) where he would inspire and educate his community members
about the beauty of Judaism.

On one of those Shabbatonim, Rabbi Malayev met Roman Yakobov who was one of the many who was inspired. Shortly thereafter, Roman decided to take on Jewish observance, becoming a baal teshuva.

Roman was invigorated with his new found connection to Judaism, but now also troubled that his parents ran a non kosher restaurant. The idea that his parents could be serving non kosher food to Jewish people was unpalatable to him. So he decided to convince his parents to make their restaurant kosher -- and they agreed.

To succeed in the endeavour Roman needed help. First he turned to his
good friend and business partner RonenGilkarov to help manage
some of the financial aspects of the restaurant. He also enlisted the help of
his Rabbi, Rabbi Yacov Malayev who in turn brought in RabbiAvraham Kahn to
assist as well. Finally, after a time, Ronen turned to Rabbi Tsvi Heber, COR’s
Director of Community Kosher to bring the restaurant under COR supervision. “We
are all very happy working together,” relates Rabbi Malayev.

With the restaurant’s kosher status in order, the Hamizrach team was now
able to focus on the food. They serve authentic Middle Eastern dishes
including shawarama, falafel, shish-kebabs, barbequed steaks and lamb chops
(Hamizrach’s menu is available
here). Hamizrach also has Toronto’s only all you can eat kosher sushi for
$17.99 per person (Hamizrach’s sushi menu is available here).

Hamizrach's Sushi

Hamizrach also offers the use of its banquet hall which seats up to
100 people for bar/bat mitzvas, birthday parties, sheva brachot, and any other
type of event.

Hamizrach's Banquet Hall

Reflecting on his 9 years as Rabbi of the JBCT, Rabbi Malayev
sees a connection between his communal work and his role at Hamizrach. “When I
came to Toronto, Jewish observance in my community was very weak. But now we
have 100 families keeping kosher. 50 families observing Shabbat.100 public
school kids now getting a Jewish education. And they are doing it because they
see the beauty in our heritage, form a connection with our community and always
have a positive experience when they come to our shul.” So too, Rabbi Malayev
relates, if he has one objective for customers who dine at Hamizrach
restaurant, it is that he wants them to leave happy. “If we could ask for one
thing, it would be that every person who comes to eat at Hamizrach leaves full,
and happy. What else could we ask for?”

Hamizrach Glatt Kosher Restaurant and Banquet Hall is located at 6233
Bathurst St. Toronto, Ontario. For more information, visit their website at www.torontokosherrestaurants.ca.